It is well known that bacteria and other microorganisms are the cause of many diseases and are easily transmitted from infected individuals to other persons if sanitary conditions are not maintained where such microorganisms thrive. Restrooms are places where bacteria, viruses and other disease-producing substances are found in great numbers. Indeed in public bathrooms the problem is particularly severe because these facilities are designed to dispose of large volumes of human waste, which contains up to 30% bacteria. It is not unusual to find disease causing organisms on a variety of surfaces in bathrooms, e.g., toilet seats, urinal and commode flush handles, faucet handles, door knobs, push plates, etc. Urine, feces, and other body wastes which contain disease organisms can easily be left on such surfaces, usually by hand transmission. However, germs, particularly fecal bacteria, can also be sprayed into the air when a toilet flushes.
Individuals using bathrooms can protect themselves from these organisms by thorough washing and drying of their hands. However the benefits of hand washing can be negated by subsequent contact with infected door handles when leaving the bathroom. The usual method of reducing microbiological activity on the surfaces of door handles is to spray or wipe them with strong disinfectant. However, this is inconvenient to do on a continuous basis, and a periodic wiping or spraying is not sufficient.
A variety of methods to sanitize door knobs has been described. U.S. Pat. No. 1,783,097, is directed to a hollow door knob carrying disinfectant in its interior and having perforations distributed over its shell for the escape of portions of the disinfectant from the inside portion of the knob to its outside surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,314,746, is directed an ultraviolet light built into a door knob or door handle to irradiate the handle with ultraviolet light.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,491,780 describes a hollow door knob equipped with provision for receiving and holding a quantity of crystalline substance in a more or less comminuted form, adapted to slowly and gradually give off a vapor or mist capable of disinfecting and sterilizing the handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,527,955 reveals push plates or knobs containing either a cavity within the door stile covered by a pushplate filled with a fluid absorbing sponge of cellulosic material which is impregnated with a slowly evaporating disinfectant, or a hollow door knob provided with such material for the purpose of disinfecting same. The hollow door knob contains a plurality of openings in its surface to permit the escape of the disinfectant fluid or vapor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,776 discloses a door mounted actuating device for use with a spray container of the type having a spray nozzle which when depressed causes a spray of fluid to be emitted from the container. The actuating mechanism permits the unit to spray upon opening or closing the door.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,942 is directed to a touch effective disinfectant tape suitable for mounting on a door knob or handle of a bathroom, enabling users to disinfect their hands during the use of such facility.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,521 discloses a housing containing a sublimable disinfectant, the housing having an adhesive on the rear end for securing it to the backing plate behind a door knob. The housing has circumferential slots in the front end so that the sublimable disinfectant vapors may reach the door knob.
There is a continuing need to provide an improved and simple device and method for disinfecting door handles and knobs, particularly those present on lavatory doors.